The Magdalene Laundries in Ireland, also known as Magdalene asylums, were institutions, generally run by Roman Catholics, that operated from the 18th to the late 20th centuries. They were run ostensibly to house "fallen women". An estimated 30,000 women were confined in these institutions in Ireland. In 1993, a mass grave containing 155 corpses was uncovered in the convent grounds of one of the laundries.[1]
This led to media revelations about the operations of the secretive
institutions. A formal state apology was issued in 2013, and a £50
million compensation scheme for survivors was set up, to which the
Catholic Church has refused to contribute.[2]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magdalene_Laundries_in_Ireland
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magdalene_Laundries_in_Ireland